TURNED OVER to the MEN of YOUTH ORDERS LIKE DEMOLAY CAN CHANGE a MASONRY YOUNG MAN’S LIFE FOREVER Publication Board Frank Loui, Grand Master Allan L
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APRIL / MAY 2012 FREEMASON.ORG TURNED OVER TO THE MEN OF YOUTH ORDERS LIKE DEMOLAY CAN CHANGE A MASONRY YOUNG MAN’S LIFE FOREVER Publication Board Frank Loui, Grand Master Allan L. Casalou, Grand Secretary and Editor-in-Chief Editorial Staff Terry Mendez, Managing Editor Angel Alvarez-Mapp, Creative Editor Megan Brown, Senior Editor Sarah Gilbert, Assistant Creative Editor Michelle Simone, Assistant Editor I can thInk of Photography p. 3, 20-22, 25-27: © Emily Payne “ Photography at least two other men p. 6-8, 9-11, 12-18: © Paolo Vescia Photography p. 9-11, 25-27: © Scott Gilbert Photography p. 12-18: © Resolusean Photography THREE INCLUDING MYSELF Illustration Cover and feature © Chen Design Associates p. 4-5, 23-24 © Chen Design Associates Design who wouldn’t be Chen Design Associates Officers of the Grand Lodge Grand Master – Frank Loui, California No. 1, San Francisco No. 120 Deputy Grand Master – John F. Lowe, Irvine Valley No. 671 Senior Grand Warden – John L. Cooper III, Culver City-Foshay No. 467 Masons Junior Grand Warden – Russell E. Charvonia, Channel Islands No. 214 Grand Treasurer – M. William Holsinger, PGM, if it weren’t for their Evergreen No. 259 Grand Secretary – Allan L. Casalou, Acalanes “ Fellowship No. 480 experience with Grand Lecturer – Jack M. Rose, San Dimas No. 428 freemason.org the youth orders. CALIFORNIA FREEMASON ISSUE 4 APRIL/MAY 2012 USPS # 083-940 is published bimonthly by Masons of Calfiornia. 1111 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108- 2284. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Francisco, CA and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to California Freemason, - DAVID TURCONI 1111 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108-2284. Publication Dates - Publication dates are the first day of October, December, February, April, June, and August. Subscriptions – CALIFORNIA FREEMASON is mailed to every member of this Masonic jurisdiction without additional charge. Others are invited to subscribe for $2.00 a year or $2.75 outside of the United States. Permission to reprint – Permission to reprint original articles in CALIFORNIA FREEMASON is granted to all recognized Masonic publications with credit to the author and this publication. Phone: 800/831-8170 or 415/776-7000 fax: 415/776-7170 e-mail: [email protected] FEATURE CONTENTS 12 VOLUME 60 /// NUMBER 4 /// APRIL/MAY 2012 Turned Over to the Men of Masonry Youth orders like DeMolay can change a boy’s life forever, and shape him into a Mason. But as interest from adults has waned, there aren’t enough advisors to keep some chapters going. Here are some inspiring stories of DeMolay—and the men and boys shaped by their service to it. 4 6 23 25 2 EXECUTIVE MESSAGE 19 FACEBOOK POLL 3 MEMBER PROFILE 20 IN CALIFORNIA 4 MASONIC EDUCATION In the years following WWI, the “family of Freemasonry” flourished. John Cooper explains how the Masonic youth orders offered a philosophically novel approach. 6 LODGE SPOTLIGHT California’s newest lodge sponsored DeMolay from the get-go. Learn how the lodge and their DeMolay chapter are growing together. 9 IN CALIFORNIA Joining a Masonic youth order can change the course of a young person’s life. Here, two girls explain how their lives have been transformed by their memberships in Rainbow for Girls and Job’s Daughters. 23 HISTORY Masonic youth orders offered 1920s youth a sense of stability amidst a quickly shifting social culture. 25 MASONIC ASSISTANCE Several Masonic Homes residents began their Masonic journeys in the youth orders. Read how these early experiences led to a lifetime of leadership and service. EXECUTIVE MESSAGE Russ Charvonia, Junior Grand Warden There are many reasons why it is imperative that we increase In their hands, our future support for our youth orders. But perhaps the simplest and most is very bright indeed! compelling reason is this: They need us, and we need them. Our efforts and encouragement are crucial in ensuring that these youth orders continue to grow and flourish. When we witness the quality and integrity of these bright and energetic young men and women, our own commitment to our beloved craft is renewed. So what can you do? Visit Masons4Youth.org and volun- ur Masonic family is truly blessed with some incred- teer to help these young people. Even an hour or two of your ible young people. Many of these individuals will go time each month is appreciated and means a great deal to our Oon to lead their respective organizations; many will Masonic youth. serve in even grander arenas. And through the Masonic youth Attend and support youth order meetings and offer to orders, all of them are learning life skills that will help them to “shadow” the young men and women at one of their meetings. become better parents, children, friends, and citizens. While this simple action will thrill the youth, I promise you Our youth orders were founded by visionaries who saw the will enjoy it even more than they, and you will leave the experi- need to instill Masonic values in our children. The shoulders ence with goose bumps on your arms and perhaps even tears in of those founders were strong and broad enough to support the your eyes. foundation of these critical youth orders. Now it is up to the It goes without saying that we, as adults, have much to offer members and leaders of today’s adult Masonic organizations to to the younger generation. However, I am convinced that we provide the strong foundation on which our young people can can learn much more from them. stand and rise to their highest potential. Look well to our Youth! In this issue, the connection between the young men of the Order of DeMolay and Freemasonry is certainly obvious. What may not be as clear is the connection between the young ladies of Rainbow for Girls and Job’s Daughters with the men in our lodges. But the bonds are valuable and they must continue to be strengthened. All of the youth orders share the basic tenets of Freemasonry. MEMBER PROFILE FACES OF MASONRY MEET MICHAEL SALAZAR him accountable for his actions. Now he’s GRAND JUNIOR COUNCILOR, in the army, and he sees that experience as extremely helpful. DEMOLAY INTERNATIONAL MASON SINCE 1992 The role of an advisor: Our saying at DeMolay is “Our youth is our future.” It’s by Laura Normand our responsibility as adults to provide guid- ance and mentorship. If we don’t mentor kids, someone else will, and they might not Michael Salazar’s Masonic journey began as a routine exercise have the best principles. Plus, working with in parental due diligence. His daughter was invited to join a youth keeps you young. The adult advisors local bethel of Job’s Daughters, and Salazar – then unfamiliar often have as much fun as the kids. with Freemasonry – decided to do some research. He encoun- tered glowing reviews about the youth order. He also got a crash What motivates him: Seeing my son go course in Masonry. through DeMolay was incredible. He went Soon enough, his daughter was a Jobie, his son a DeMolay, from a shy 12-year-old boy to a young man and he and wife Janet were adult advisors. Just like that, conver- who was able to get up and give a speech sation at the Salazar dinner table was set to the tune of Masonic before six thousand people. I will always be youth orders. And Salazar began his 20-year (and counting) grateful for DeMolay, and I will give to it as career in DeMolay. long as I am able. Today, as grand junior councilor of DeMolay International and executive officer of Northern California DeMolay, Salazar devotes his time and energy to mentoring Masonic youth in the Golden State and beyond. As for the fraternity, Salazar became a member of Pleasanton Lodge No. 321 – the same lodge that sponsored his daughter’s bethel. To his fellow Masons, Salazar’s advice regarding youth or- ders is simple: “Get involved and stay involved.” As he would expect of his DeMolays, he leads by example. In his own words: Favorite memory as a mentor: Early in my DeMolay career, we had discipline problems with a youth. I explained to him that we had high expectations, and we would hold him to them. Years later, I received a letter from the same young man, thank- ing me. He told me that I was the first person in his life to hold APRIL » MAY 2012 3 MASONIC EDUCATION A NOVEL IDEA THE POST WWI MASONIC FAMILY NURTURED A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS. by John L. Cooper III, Senior Grand Warden As America emerged from World War I, it prominently displayed, and the new equality of women in so- was evident that the world had changed. ciety – a product of World War I – meant that men and women The war that had been supposed to were sharing the ethos of Freemasonry in a new and vibrant way. make the world safe for democracy had It was out of this that the Masonic youth orders came into ex- instead shown that the immense sacrifice of istence. The first of these, the Order of DeMolay, was originally so many lives had turned the world created in 1919 out of a baseball team of Masonic orphans in upside down. Kansas City, Missouri. It was soon followed by other youth or- Recoiling from the horrors of the first ders, two of which survived to become the International Order modern war, Americans began to turn in- of Job’s Daughters, and the International Order of Rainbow ward, looking for strength in their own social for Girls.